Tummy Tuck

Having children is one of the greatest blessings we can experience but pregnancies, or significant weight fluctuation, can leave women with loose and stretched skin with poor contours around the abdomen and hips. These changes can leave women feeling older, undesirable and depressed after pregnancies. No amount of exercise and good nutrition is going to completely correct these changes in the body. In these instances, a tummy tuck may be indicated to remove stretch marks and loose skin, tighten the separated muscles of the abdominal wall, revise c-section scars as needed, and give you a more youthful, rejuvenated tummy. This procedure can be performed on its own, or as a part of a more comprehensive mommy makeover.

What is Tummy Tuck Surgery (Abdominoplasty)?

An abdominoplasty removes the stretched, excess skin of the lower abdomen, tightens the abdominal wall and redrapes the skin of the upper abdomen to give a more youthful, rejuvenated abdomen. The skin of the abdomen often becomes loose and stretched out after pregnancy and weight loss. These changes will not respond to exercise alone and variable amounts of fat may accumulate and become resistant to diet and exercise. An abdominoplasty procedure may be indicated in these situations and serves two purposes. In some people, a protruding abdomen that is out of proportion to the rest of the body may be re-contoured to give balance to the torso as the flattening effect comes from the tightening of the abdominal wall. Secondly, the excess skin that is removed allows for the remaining skin to be redraped over the abdomen, giving a youthful, rejuvenated appearance.Scars from prior surgical procedures may limit the results, whereas other abdominal scars, such as stretch marks and C-section scars may be removed all together. Women planning future pregnancies or significant weight loss would be best served by postponing an abdominoplasty.

“Today as I stood in the bathroom I could not believe my new body. It has been almost two weeks since I had my surgery, and my husband is amazed at how great I look, and what you were able to do for me.”

Best performed when no further pregnancies are planned and when a stable or target weight has been achieved

Healthy individual

Non-smoker

Non-drug users

Realistic goals and expectations

The Abdominoplasty Procedure:

In the pre-op holding area, the skin of the abdomen is marked by our board certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Parva. Markings help direct the surgical plan as a road map for removal of the excess skin. In the operating room there are three key factors in performing the tummy tuck procedure:

Remove the excess skin of the lower abdomen, generally from the belly button level to the pubic hair line.

Tighten the abdominal muscles and flatten the abdominal wall. (Visualize an internal corset)

Pull the skin of the upper abdomen over the entire abdominal wall to redrape the skin.

A small drain is placed under the skin to prevent fluid build-up and will be removed in about one week. A bladder catheter placed at the start of the surgery is left in place over night to prevent possible distension (swelling) of the bladder after surgery.

You will be asked to stay in a flexed position for the first week to reduce tension on the skin closure. It is recommended that you do not stay in bed but are mobile and walking the very next day after surgery.

Recovery and Healing:

Generally, recovery takes 10 to 14 days with avoidance of strenuous activity for 6 weeks.

The main recovery period is 7 to 10 days although some patients will take 2 weeks before returning to work.

We encourage walking and basic activities at home to start the day after surgery and progressive increase in the activity levels.

Heavy lifting and strenuous activity should be avoided for 6 weeks to prevent post surgical complications.

Results:

Every woman has unique body proportions. Women are born with different lengths to their waists which affect surgical outcomes. A long distance between the lower ribs and the hips is considered “long waisted” and a short distance between the lower ribs and the hips is “short waisted.” In these women the rib cage is much closer to the pelvis. There is very little room so it tends to produce a more “boxy” looking torso. A long waist creates an hour-glass figure because there is a lot more vertical room. The location of the belly button can also impact the results. Understanding your body type will guide you in setting realistic expectations for your tummy tuck results. During your consultation, Dr. Parva will confirm your body type, evaluate skin quality and review realistic expectations with you. Both “short waisted” and “long waisted” women can attain pleasing results through a tummy tuck with a board certified plastic surgeon who has an extensive experience in body contouring procedures. Since a tummy tuck removes excess skin and tightens the abdominal wall, the results are essentially life long as long as weight is maintained and no further pregnancies are planned.